Fuel converter for engines



March 31. 1925. 1,531,942

F. HOWARD 1111111.l convna'n Fon mismas Filed Sept. 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 75 i 45-` n, 50 fl L -l 66` E Harrer/73g@ @wm A wrrNEss:

Much 31. 1925'. '1,531,942

F. HOWARD FUEL CONVERTER FOR ENGINES Filed sept. 20, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 J7 5 4/ Ja 45 5.9 -59 .f- 60 0 I i l@ Y 5573 .79

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Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UfN-irED sarai-"151s- PATENT oF'FieE.

FRANK HOWARD, or UNITY, KENTIC'KY.

FUEL. CONVERTER non ENGINES.

Appiieation fiieiiy september 2o, 1923. serial No. 663,909.'

To @ZZ 'teli/)m t may, concern.' Y

Be it knownthat I, FRANK HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Unity, in the county of Boyd andSt'ate of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in FuelCon'verters for Engines, of which the following is al specification.

My present invention has reference to a fuel converter for internal combustion engines, and has for its primary object t`o siiiiplify and improve the similar devices upon which I have been granted U. Si Letters Patent No. 1,461,243, and my copendin'g application, tiled April 18', 1923, Serial No.

llVit-h these broadly stated obJects in view, and others which will appear as the nature of the inven-tion is better understood, the

beemployed when the fuel tank is disposedv below the heater of the improvement.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates the block of an internal combustion engine which may be of any type using liquid fuel. The construction, as illustrated in Figure 1, may be considered in connection with anA automobile,

andsecured on the dash, orto Vanyother con-` vement part thereof there is aftuel tank 2. The tank 2 is arranged a considerable dilstance above the engine 1. The tank 2 serves as a storage tank for tlieifuel', whichA operates the engine. of kerosene or other oil which is'less volatile than. gasoline, and the outlet pipe 3, at the' bottom thereof communicates with afloat chamber 4. The float valve in the chamber regulates the in'liow of the liquid fuel from the tank 2. Coupled to the bottom of the float chamber 4 there is a fuel directing pipe 5, the passage therethrough being controlled by a valve 6 provided with an operating rod' The fuel in the tankfm'a-y be` 7'. The fuel conductor y'includesa horizontally arranged branch 8 directedbeneath the engiiieblock l, and in this branch there is a check valve 9which'perinit"sof the passage of fuel through the said pipe but prevents the ie-entrance' of the said fuel thereinto. The branch Shasa downwardly extending end connected by a T 10 to the ends ofthe pipe sec-tions' 11 and 12 respectively. The pipe section 12has communicating with its end an air chamber or tank 13.v The air in this chamber regulates the fuel pressure,in`

a manner which will presentlybe fully described.`

The pipe 1l has an upwardly extendingv branch litthat communicates'with the heater element 15 of my improvement;

The heater `15 surroundsl` the exhaust manifold 16`of theengine li Thejm'anifold has vits bore provided with spaced I inwardly directed fins 17 to retard the exhaustfg'ases therethrough so Vthat a* greaterlvol'um-eof heated air willbere'ceive'd in the heater 15 tl'ianwere the fins not used.v` y

I have found it desirable to regula-te the heat in the heater, and therefore, Isuiround the same with a:removabletubular casing" 19 which has its `end nearest the fanwh'ich coolsk the engine, open, but normally closed l by 'ahinged cove-r'20. Suita-bleimeans (not shown) may be employed for operatingtlie cap valve 2O so that the same may behield wholly or 'partly open as occasion requires, and also, ifdesired, latchingin'ieans may be employed for'holding the` cap valve closed.

By reference' to 'the drawings" it willbe seentliat the vexhaust manifold jis arranged below the fuel intake manifold 21V for vthe engine cylinders, and valso that the heaterl (which is,xof course, spaced from the" exhaustv manifold 1G) has 'its top provided.' with a gas dome 22 in which is screwed or other?" wise". connected aA tube'23 thaty extends through the' opening in the fuel conductor branch pipe`24 for the ii'itakemanifold 21.

The tube'23v has its bore,"adjacent Ito its lower end, widened toy form a seat for a slid"` able valve 25. i The stem ofthevalve, indicated by tlie numeral 264 passes" freely through the tube 23 and through an opening' 'in the upper wall ofthe pipe member The butterfly valve, -which controls" the fuel Ventrance througli thelpipe2t'to the ii'ian-ifold 21 is indicated Eby thetnuiiie'ral'27, the shaft or truniiion-oii one end thereof passing through asuitable bearing opening in the angle extension of the pipe 24. The pipe 24 comprises the mixing chamber for the air, which finds an inlet in said pipe, and the vapor delivered thereinto through the tube 23. The air passage to the mixing chamber may be regulated bya valve, if desired.

Secured to the projecting end of the shaft or trunnion there is a wheel 28 which has secured thereto, as at 29, one end of a flexible element 30. The element 30 may be in the nature of a cable or chain and has its upper or free end secured, as at 3l, to a grooved wheel 32. The wheel 32 has its shaft 33 journaled in a suitable bearing 34 which extends outwardly from the straight longitudinal arm 35 of a bracket. The bracket has its outer end extended upwardly, as at 36, and has pivoted thereto, as at 37, an arm 38. rJhe arm 38 is pivotally connected, as at 39, to the stem 26 for the valve 25.

The grooved wheel 32 is, of course, iiXed on the shaft 33, and also fixed on the said shaft there is a cam member 40 which is in the path of contact with a roller 41 that has its shaft journaled in suitable bearings in the arm 38.

Secured to and depending from the shaft 33 there is an arm 43 which has its lower end pivotally connected to the control lever 44 of the system.

Secured to the angle end 36 of the bracket there is one end of an arched spring 45, the opposite and free end of the said spring bearing on the arm 38, exerting a pressure thereagainst to swing the same to influence the valve 25 to closed position, while a push upon the control lever 44 causes the swinging of the. arm 43, and consequently the turning of the shaft 32 so that a pull is eX- erted upon the iiexible element 30 to cause the opening of the butteriiy valve 27. In timed relation with this operation, the cam 40 is brought under the roller 41 to swing the arm 38 in an upward direction and unseat the valve 25. The unseating of the valve permits of the fuel which has been vaporized in the heater flowing into the intake manifold 21, and the amount of vaporized fuel thus admitted is regulated by the adjustment of the control lever 44.

` In operation the fuel from the supply` "d sene or other fuel will be effectively vaporized in its passage through the heater 15, and such vapor will, as previously stated, be admitted in desired quantities into the manifold and from thence into the engine cylinders. Should it be found necessary to slow down the engine any unvaporized fuel in the heater will iiow downwardly through the pipe 14 and pipes 11 and 12. The upward flow of the fuel will be prevented by the check valve 9. A very small quantity of this fuel will act on the air in the regulating or pressure chamber 13, serving only to compress such air and such pressure of air will force the said fuel from the tank when the valve 25 is again opened for the speeding up of the engine.

It may be found necessary to prime the engine with a liquid fuel of greater volatility than the kerosene or other oil employed in ruiming the engine, and therefore I secure, preferably directly below the supply tank 2, a smaller tank 45.- In the showing of the drawings, the tank 45 is connected to the dash of the automobile and is provided with a suitable normally closed inlet spout (as is the tank 2). At its bottom the gasoline tank 45 has an outlet pipe controlled by a valve 44. The outlet pipe includes a longitudinal branch 46 directed toward the branch of the pipe 24 of the intake manifold. The pipe 46 is coupled to the longitudinal lower branch 47 of a substantially L-shaped pipe member or casting. This member may be cast with a manifold or may be secured thereon. The longitudinal branch of the casting is indicated by the numeral 48, there being a shoulder providing a restricted passage between the ports of the branches 47 and 48 of the casting, and this shoulder affords a seat for a valve 49. Above the valve seat the casting is provided with a port 50 which communicates with a similar port `51 in the angle branch of* the pipe 24. The port 51 is disposed a slight distance below the shaft or trunnion foi the butterfly valve 27 so that gasoline from the tank 4 5 may be directed below the butterfiy valve into the manifold.

The stem for the valve 49'is indicated by the numeral 52, the same passing through the top of the casting branch 48 and also through a somewhat elongated opening in the arm 35 of the bracket. On the stem 52 there is an enlargement or flange 53, and surrounding the said stem and exerting a pressure between the bracket 35 and the said enlargement 53 there is a helical spring 54. The spring normally retains the valve 49 seated.

Connected by a universal joint 55 to the upper end of the valve stem 52 there is a stem extension 56 that passes tlnough a somewhat elongated opening in the arm 38. The stem extension 56 has an angle end 57 that is in the path of engagement with a cam or finger 5844 provided, upon aishaft 59 that is liournali-:d in bearings. GO onv the arm The shaft 59 has its end; arranged for convenient actuation by the operator, and the cam or fingertliereof is only swung to open the. valve 491 when the. engine is to be primed.

IVhen my improvement. is. einploved, in connection with internal combustion engines whose fuel supply tanks are necessarily located below the heater, I malte useoff an automatic pressure device, such as is illustrated in Figure l? of the drawings. As disclosed in thisl ligure, I screw into the cylinder head of the engine a coupling 6l that has an indircet. passage therethrough which communicates with a 4tube62 that.` is connected to the supply tank. The coupling 6l has a depending` passage thatcommunicates with. its borei and-also with theatInosphere7 and screwed or otherwise secured therein there is a short piperr 68 that. may be formed on or connectedlto the upper portion of a casing 64. The casingis provided with laterally vextending branches 65- and G6 respectively. Preferably the lowerend of the casing is open, butl is closedI by a cap nut 67. In the casingthere'isa plug (38 having a transverse passage {S9-therethrough, andthe upper \`vall'-provide'd by thispassage is substantially V-slrapedf The plug carries a stein that is` arranged through the pipe G3 andthatcarries-onits upper end a valve 71 that4 is vseated on. the

ywall provided by the` restrictedopeningbe tween the longitudinal anldfanglepassages y in the coupling. The valve is normally retained seated throughl themediumv lof;v a spring 72 which is in contact'Ywitlrthe'lower end ofthe plug and with the cap nut 67.

On thefla'teral.branch 66 of the casing (lll there is an annular flange whose peripheral edge is outwardly directed and which provides a casing 73. The outer face of this casing is closed by a diaphragm 74.

Centrally threaded through the diaphragm 74 there is a headed bolt 75 that passes through a suitable opening in a slide 76 whose lower straight wall rests on the lower straight wall of the passages 65 and 66. rlhe slide 76 is in the nature of a block which is held in one position in the casing 64 through the medium of a spring 77 that has one end connected to the said slide and its opposite end connected to the end wall of the passage 65. The upper face of the block is cut at an inclination, as indicated by the numeral 78. The inclined upper face of Vthe block corresponds to the upper wall of the passage 69 adjacent thereto. The inner end of the bolt that passes through the nose end of the slide '76 is preferably provided with a ball head 79 for swivel connection with the said slide.

The parts of the device are normally as disclosed in Figure 4; ,ofrthe drawngs-. The reciprocation of'` the pistons.; creates alforce of;A air through the., couplingI (ily suflicient to unseat thefvalve 71i7 s o thatl suchfar pnessurie flowingthroughl the tube 62 will; yact on the fuel intheA tank; to- Which-g the said; tube is connectedF to force, the fuel; intor the-float chamber; The valve 7l' is: thusiinteiiinttently seated andl ,unseateth thel unseating of the-valve permitting the pressure frQInthe' engine to pass through the tube on pipe 63, toenterthey casing taand to be directed into they diaphragm casing 7 3: When a1 pro.- determined pressure enters.- the casing-'7 3'l the, diaphragm will'be expanded: or h-ulged outwardly, drawing the bolt 75` therewith and causing, the.L latter toinfluencel the slide 7'6against the pressure of; the spring- 77 so that itsanglewallv 782 will.; contactl with the upper angle walliofithe passagef? in theplug 68 to move. the` said` plugiupwardly `to ,seat the valve'. 7l. As this-pressure,reduced thevspring 7 7j will draw,theuslidefin an opposite directionto agaiirperinit the?` unseatingroflthle valve 70andi.an.airapressure from thecylinder rthrough theA ports offthe coupling (il and through;theaubexorpipe-.62.. Thus it. will jbe noted that the1 4construction providesl an automaticV regulator; for the pressure froml the c. engine i which 1 is exerted on the. fuel; in fthe, fuel c supply taule-so that regardlessof the elevationiofrthe. said tank fluidtherefrom will .fbeg forcednto the float chamber and vaporized before being;- delivered int-Q the; engine;` i

Fgrom7 the foregoin description, h 4 when taken.: in connectiono th' lthe drawings it will @be apparent-hat Ighgavev proyided a com'- parativelyv simple. and;` easily installed fuel System 1foie-any class ofhydroca-rbon ,1e 0fines in. which crude oil, kerosene,k yor-othze1: oils less volatile than gasoline can be employed as the motive power of the engine. The fuel is fed to the heater in an obsolutely uniform flow, and in a like manner, the Vapor from the fuel generated in the heater flows into the intake manifold at the correct pressure to insure proper firing and consequent maximum power of the engine, and while I have illustrated and described a satisfactory embodiment of my invention as it now appears to me, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the precise details of construction and arrangement of parts, but may make all such changes therefrom as fairly fall within the scope of what I claim.

It is, of course, to be'nnderstood that the gas pressure in the heater is regulated by the weight of the fuel in accordance with the elevation of the float chamber with respect to the heater, together with the assistance of the air pressure in the regulator tank 13.

Having described the invention, I claim l. In combination with an internal combustion engine havingits exhaust manifold ISO located below its intake manifold, of a fuel system therefor, including a storage tank for a hydro-carbon oil of low grade and a priming tank for a hydro-carbon oil of a high grade, both of said tanks being located above the engine, a heater deriving heat from the exhaust manifold, a drum surrounding the heater, a valved door controlling the passage of air between the drum and heater, a chamber below the first mentioned tank and having a pipe connection therewith, a float valve controlling the passage between the chamber and tank, a valve controlled pipe system leading from the chamber, for the gravitation of the oil therefrom to introduce the same into the heater for vaporization, a check valve included in said system, an air pressure tank for regulating the flowr of fluid also included in said system, a mixing chamber for the intake manifold, valve controlled means for delivering vapor from the heater thereinto, a butterfly valve controlling the passage of the vvapor from the mixing chamber intothe intake manifold, means for loperating both of said valves in timed relation, a spring influenced valve carrying element having a port communicating with the passage thereof and located opposite the butterfly valve, a valved pipe connected therewith and with the last mentioned. tank, and means for operating the last mentioned valve to permit of the flow of fluid from the last mentioned tank into the intake manifold.

2. In combination with an internal combustion engine having its exhaust manifold located below its intake manifold, of a gravity feed fuel system therefor, including a storage tank for a low grade hydro-carbon oil and a storage tank for a high grade hydro-.carbon oil, both of said tanks located above the engine, a chamber into which oil from the first mentioned tank is delivered, a float valve controlling the passage of oil from the tank into the chamber, a heater deriving heat from the exhaust manifold, a pipe system between the chamber and the heater, a valve controlling the passage of oil through said system, a check valve in said system, an air expansion chamber also in said system for regulating the gas and oil pressure in said system, a mixing chamber connected with the intake manifold, valve controlled means for admitting vapor from the heater into the mixing chamber, a butterfly valve controlling the passage of vapor from the mixing chamber into the intake manifold, a pivotally supported spring influenced arm connected to the vapor control valve, a pulley on the shaft for the butterfly valve, a second pulley thereabove, a flexible element connected with both pulleys, an arm on the shaft of the last mentioned pulley, a cam also on said shaft, a roller on the spring influenced arm in the path of engagement with the cam, an operating rod for the last mentioned arm, an angle block secured to one side of the butterfly valve having an angle passage therein and a port arranged in a line with the said valve when the latter is in one position, a valve controlled pipe between the lower passage of the block and the second mentioned tank, a spring influenced valve controlling the passage between the block and port, an angle arm loosely connected with the stem for the valve and guided through the pivoted arm, and a cam carrying lever journaled on said arm for contacting the angle end of the stem extension for opening the valve.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

FRANK HOIVARD. 

